McQ, the late Alexander McQueen’s lower priced line, staged its first runway show this season, likely to drum up buzz for the opening of McQ’s first flagship store in London which will be opening in a few weeks. Looking at the Fall 2012 lineup, it was certainly hard to remember that this was a lower priced line given the luxe fabrications, intricate designs, and jaw-dropping set complete with a winter forest (in an astute move, McQ broadcast a livestream on a variety of sites and on Facebook).

The cocktail dresses that closed out the show – worthy of any red carpet – were particularly impressive. Kristen McMenamy closed the show in a tulle full-skirted look with leaf-like embellishment that looked flawless against the set and would be easy to imagine on a young starlette like Elle Fanning.

It wasn’t all after-dark looks however, there were plenty of the McQ streetsyle signatures including austerely cinched waists, brocades, thigh-high boots, military-esque buckles, leather, and military-inspired double breasted trench coats.

McQ hasn’t often drawn all that much attention compared to other big designer brand diffusion ranges, but I imagine that this season’s collection will change that.

TheFashionSpot's Lifestyle Editor, Sharon Feiereisen, is a freelance lifestyle writer based in New York City. Her work has been published in Newsday, The Knot, AM New York, WHERE New York, Dan's Papers, and Hamptons Magazine, among many other print and online outlets. Check out her tumblr blog, Random Happenings.